There’s a clear shape to the offensive line coming out of camp, but it’s not a finished picture yet. The first snaps against Stanford should feature a core group that already looks established, though this is still a unit with seven or eight players chasing meaningful reps. Even without an injury, that rotation figure to keep shifting as the season goes on.
The safest bets are up front with the veterans who arrived with the most experience. Ryan Rodriguez is set at center, and nobody is really pressing him for that job.
Matthew McCoy brings the kind of versatility coaches love; he’s handling right tackle now, but he could just as easily settle in as a full-time starting guard if that’s what the lineup needs. Samson Okunlola has also answered the bell.
Coming out of high school, he looked like he might be better suited to guard, but his footwork and quick feet have changed that conversation.
After those three, the battle gets a lot more layered.
SJ Alofaituli should be on the field more than most people expect. He’s holding up at left guard and has shown the staff he can be a steady, physical presence there, even if he isn’t the tallest lineman in the room. Max Buchanan has made a late push, and that has become the biggest development over the last week and a half.
Then there’s Ben Congdon, the freshman everyone is buzzing about. He came in with plenty of hype about his upside, but what stands out is how quickly he’s been ready. His wrestling background shows up in the way he stays low and gets underneath bigger defenders, and that’s part of why he looks like a true guard long-term.
Jackson Cantwell has also made a strong impression. He spent almost every snap at left tackle this spring, and now he’s working at right guard while still getting tackle reps.
The feeling here is that he’s a natural tackle who can slide inside when needed. As the son of Olympic shot putters, he has the hands and length to match the frame, and he and Congdon both look set to play early.
That said, the first time either one gets beat, there’s no reason to overreact. Development on the offensive line rarely moves in a straight line.
Markel Bell went through that same kind of rough start at left tackle before becoming the best left tackle in the country and a third-round pick. Francis Mauigoa had a similar freshman learning curve before everything sharpened by his final year.
Jamal Merriweather also worked his way into the conversation. He was banged up in the spring, but he picked up real momentum late in camp and is now pushing into the right tackle mix.
There are longer-term pieces in the group too. Canon Pickett and Rhys Woodrow are still more down-the-road options, but both are moving in the right direction and could find a path onto the field.
Joel Ervin missed spring while getting his body right, then put together quality reps late in camp. Among everyone on the line, he may have the highest ceiling if it all comes together.
Jaden Wilkerson is the backup left tackle and got solid work despite some inconsistency. Jacob Hawks, the 6-foot-9 juco tackle, is further back on the depth chart, but he has real upside once he adjusts to the speed of the game. With plenty of eligibility, he has time to develop.
This group is not last year’s offensive line, which was the best in the country. That kind of expectation isn’t realistic with this much inexperience. Still, there’s enough talent here to be playoff caliber if the unit comes together over the course of the season.
In Other News...
Miami Faces Another Messy WR Dispute As Former Cane Fights Back
Cam Vaughns departure from Miami has turned into something far bigger than a roster move. The former Hurricanes wide receiver has filed a lawsuit in Miami-Dade County against the University of Miami and the NCAA, arguing that after he was dismissed from the team and had his scholarship canceled, he was left without a clear path to move on. The filing says the school never provided a written explanation, never identified a rule violation and never offered him a hearing before cutting ties.
The suit also says Miami declined to submit the waiver request Vaughn needs in order to enter the transfer portal, leaving his college future in limbo. Vaughn is asking the court to hold both the university and the NCAA responsible and to give him the chance to continue his education and football career somewhere else, a dispute that adds another uneasy wrinkle to a program that has already dealt with more than its share of receiver drama. [Read more 🡒]
Former Miami Receiver Gets One More Shot To Reignite NFL Dream
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For a player trying to restart a career, a showcase can matter as much for timing as talent. Johnsons path has already included a pause away from the game, and now he is using this event to put himself back in a professional setting and prove he belongs on a bigger stage. The opportunity does not guarantee anything, but it does give him a fresh platform to remind teams what he can do and keep his NFL dream alive. [Read more 🡒]
Miamis Backfield Suddenly Hinges On One Breakout Question
Miamis offense enters the upcoming season with the kind of depth that usually lets a coaching staff spread the ball around and sort out roles as the year unfolds. There are multiple players who could push their way into bigger jobs, and the backfield in particular has drawn attention because of the ceiling attached to several of the names involved. Elija Lofton, Jordan Lyle and Moore are all being watched as possible breakout candidates, giving the Hurricanes plenty of options if things break the right way.
The catch is Lyle, whose availability is still uncertain because of off-the-field issues. Mario Cristobal has been upbeat about Lyles physical condition and his potential, which keeps the door open for him to become a real factor if he is able to stay on the field. For Miami, the question is less about whether the talent is there and more about how quickly the backfield picture settles, because one breakthrough could change the shape of the rotation in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]